Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-04-29
THOUGHTS FOR THE FARMERS.

The two or three years of de-
preston just passed have been
fraught with experiences that will
prove of great advantage to the
thinking farmer. The soil is the
source of all wealth and it is left
to the farmer to determine what
business will make the soil yield
largest returns. North Missouri
is stock country and the chief at
tention of the farmer has been di-
rected to the rearing of cattle and
hogs. But for two or three years
the cattle business has been un-
satisfactory, prices realized for cat
tie when matured barely covering,
except in rare instances, the cost of
production. Till within a few
years the cost of rearing either
cattle or hogs was but tr fes
compared with the present. The
farmer allowed his hogs to run on
the range which usually furnished
them ample food for the greater
part of the year, and when he con-
cluded they were old enough for
market, few bushels of corn were
sufficient to put them in excellent
condition, and often hogs were sold
to the packers that had never tast-
ed corn. So it was with the cattle,
the range furnished feed for sew
en- months in the year, and the
only preparation Necessary for win
ter was cutting and putting up fif-
teen OF twenty stacks of prairie
hay. Cattle could then be sold at
much price less than at present and
yet the seller make money, be-
cause of the trifing expense of
rearing them. But this has all
changed. The rich pastures which
were then as free as the air, are
now worth from fifty to seventy
five cents a month per head, and
the cattle must be wintered on
hay that is worth, in cash, eight to
ten dollars per ton. Thus it is
easily seen that a steer, three
years old, will not bring the farm
er what he could have obtained in
cash for the feed. A few ears
ago our farmers discovered that il
did not pay to keep a hog through
the winter and they at once began
the improvement of their herds.
This they have kept up and now
the greatest profit is realized from
the hog that is ready for the pack
ing tub at the age of ten months.
Had our farmers begun the i'm
provement of their cattle herds at
the same time they would not now
be competing with western cattle
that are produced at as trifing
cost as their cattle were twenty
five years ago. Our farmers must
continue in the stock-growing
business. But they will have to
do with their cattle as they have
done with their hogs, improve
their herds till a steer two years
old will weigh as much and make
more beef than their four-year-old
steers now do. By SO doing they
will save half the feed and thus be
able in a given time, to market
double the number of cattle that
they are now doing, beside receiv-
ing the benefit of the high prices
which this quality of cattle always
brings. This move may look little
expensive at first thought, but
when they come to consider the
matter carefully our farmers will
see that it is only the most rigid
sort of economy.
Reports from every part Of
the state show that Missouri i's
prospects for abundant crops were
never SO favorable as at the pres.
ent time. The largest acreage ever
known has been sown to wheat
and oats, and corn has never been
planted under more favorable
con ditions.
Hon. John W. Henry, ex-
Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court and Hon. John Walker,
State Auditor, engaged in quar-
rel and street fight at Jefferson
City last Monday morning. Dur
ing the quarrel Walker called
Henry a liar, whereupon Henry